Wildlife seeks hunters/researchers

A squirrel-hunting diary program designed to track trends in nut crops and squirrel populations across the Buckeye State is being offered this fall by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

"It's been really useful in tracking squirrel populations so far," said Suzie Prange, a biologist at the state's Waterloo Wildlife Research Station in Athens. Participating hunters will be given a wallet-size diary in which to record the date, county, and hours afield, number of squirrels seen and number bagged.

Such data, Prange explained, will help establish an index of abundance in various regions. Hunters also will be asked to give their impressions on the status of the mast - the crop size of walnuts, oak acorns, and hickory and beech nuts.

To sign into the diary program, e-mail Prange at suzie.prange@dnr.state.oh.us, or write her at Waterloo Wildlife Research Station, 360 East State St., Athens, OH 45701.

The state's squirrel season will open on Wednesday, providing hunters with an opportunity to take as many as six squirrels each day. The season runs through Jan. 31.

A tradition for many hunters, Ohio's squirrel season offers ample hunting opportunities for fox and gray squirrels across the state. It is a great time to get out in the woods and scout for the upcoming deer and fall wild turkey hunting seasons or take a youth hunting. Legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily.

Squirrel season will be closed during the one-week statewide deer gun season, beginning Nov. 29 through Dec. 5; deer gun weekend, Dec. 18 and 19; and during early muzzleloader deer season, Oct. 18 through 23 at the following areas: Salt Fork State Wildlife Area, Shawnee State Forest, and Wildcat Hollow State Wildlife Area.

The abundance of nut crops is a good indicator of squirrel numbers the following year. Squirrels have higher survival and reproduction rates after years with an ample supply of acorns and hickory nuts.

Statewide nut production ratings for fall, 2009, were lower than average, especially for oaks in the southeastern portion of the state. Prange said heavy snow last winter did not help either. So the predicted squirrel hunting outlook is below average, particularly for gray squirrels. However, the early spring green-up and mild temperatures may offset some of the negative effects of poor mast production.

Fox squirrel populations may have fared better than gray squirrels. Primary range for fox squirrel includes the western and northeastern portions of Ohio. Mast production for most tree species remained above average in these regions in 2009. Supplemental food such as corn may be more available to fox squirrels inhabiting agricultural areas.

Prange said this year the nut crops are of bumper proportions. "This means we should see a really good upswing in squirrel numbers next year."

Thirteen-year-old Scyler Glass of Toledo was fishing recently on Kelleys Island, casting an eight-inch clear-minnow Husky Jerk that Kelleys Island charter skipper Joel Byer had advised that he use to try to catch a walleye. It worked - except the fish that took the bait was a sleek, 26-inch steelhead trout.

"He has been fishing the Kelleys Island shoreline all summer catching bass and hoping to catch a walleye," said Kim Valentine, the young angler's grandfather. Scyler has been staying with Valentine and his wife, Julie, all summer on Kelleys, where the couple keep their boat.

Steelhead predominantly are a deepwater, central basin fish in summer on Lake Erie, but strays may wander anywhere, including the rocky Kelleys shoreline, as Scyler found out.

"He was out on a rocky point of the island all by himself with his light pole and a landing net when he hooked up and landed the fish by himself," said Valentine. It was the youth's first steelhead, and his grandparents saw to it that it will be mounted for a wall remembrance.

Scyler is an eighth-grader at Washington Junior High School and son of Kristen Donnelly and Scott Glass. Adds Valentine: "Scyler has been fishing since he was three years old. He would rather fish than do anything else.

"We take him out on the boat fishing all day, and as soon as we get back to the dock he grabs his pole and heads off for his favorite fishing spots around the marina where we dock. He has been fishing Kelleys Island from sunrise to sunset all summer." Now that's a fisherman.

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A random drawing is set for Thursday or three special controlled-deer gun hunts at Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve in Jackson County in southeast Ohio.

Three one-day gun hunts are set for Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 at the start of deer-gun season. A permit will be good for two hunters. Applicants must hold a current Ohio hunting license to be eligible.

Applicants should submit a three-by-five-inch card with printed name, complete address, and daytime telephone number along with the caption "Lake Katharine Gun Hunt" and a check or money order for $5 processing fee (no cash accepted) to the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, 2045 Morse Road, Bldg. C-2, Columbus, OH 43229. Only one name is allowed per postcard.

Entries must be received no later than Wednesday. Successful applicants will be notified by phone. You may apply multiple times, however, you will only be drawn once. Do not send multiple payments - one check equaling $5 per card is sufficient.

The preserve is two miles west of Jackson on County Road 85 (Lake Katharine Road). To learn more, call the preserve office at (740) 286-2487.

Contact Steve Pollick at:

spollick@theblade.com

or 419-724-6068.